Assigistoe to



(No Model.) I I A. T. MATTHEWS.

THIMBLE FOR PIPES.

No. 379,483. Patented Mar, 13,, 1888.

'4 I a I I I I I I I I I I I I 5 I lnmmlllllllllllllllllllll gNITE'DSTATES PATENT Trice.

AMBROSE T. MATTHEW'S, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE\VORCESTER FERRULE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

THIMBLE FOR PIPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,483, dated March13, 1888.

Application filed October 11, 1887. Serial No. 252,054. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, AMBROSE T. MATTHEws, of Worcester, in the county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Thimbles for gipes, of which the following is aspecificaion.

My invention relates to thimbles for pipes, and has reference to a novelconstruction of the same whereby the thimble is adapted to be readilyapplied to the pipe and held in position thereon.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2'are perspective views of my improvedthimble; Fig. 3, a vertical central sectional view showing the thimblein position upon the pipe, and Fig. 4. a perspective view of a thimblemade in two parts.

A indicates a collar, which may be made of any suitable material andmore or less ornamental in appearance, to which is secured a cylindricalshell or body, 13, open at both ends, as shown. The manner of unitingthe collar to the shell or body is a matter that may be varied asdesired, and forms no part of the present invention. Formed integralwith or secured to the shell or body A is an arm, 0, (one or more,)which projects inwardly and downwardly within the shell or body andbears upon the pipe, as shown in Fig. 3. This arm 0 bears upon the pipewith sufficient force to cause the thimble to remain upon the pipe inany position in which it may be placed.

This thimble is designed for use more particularly in places where thenature of the opening through which the pipe passes precludes theapplication or the fastening of the thimble to the walls of the opening,and, unlike that described in another application filed by me, moveswith the pipe to which it is applied as the pipe expands and contracts.

The number and position of the arm or arms 0 may be considerably variedwithout departing from the spirit of my invention-that is to say, two ormore arms may be arranged one directly above the other, as shown in Fig.3; but whether the arms be arranged in this manner or as shown in Figs.1 and 2 it will be found advisable to arrange the arms in three series,so as to bear upon and center the pipe within the thimble.

The manner of constructing the arms 0 will be apparent from aninspection of the drawings, and it is obvious that, in lieu of makingthese arms integral with the body B, they may be made separate andriveted thereto.

By providing the thimble with the inwardly and downwardly projectingarms 0, the sharp edges of the latter are adapted to engage the roughnesses or spurs upon the exterior of the pipe, and thereby prevent thethimble from slipping longitudinally upon the pipe in the direction inwhich the arms project. This result is also secured or rendered morecertain by the elasticity or spring-like action of the arms.

It is often desirable to apply these thimbles to pipes after the latterhave been put in position, and hence it will be necessary to make thethimble in two or more sections, as in Fig. 4. It will be noticed thatthe collar A is divided diametrically, and that each half of the collarhas secured to it a half of the shell or body B, the vertical edges ofthe two parts of the shell being formed with interlocking flanges, whichprevent the two parts of the shell from separating laterally, yetpermitting them to slide upon each other lengthwise when desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. As an improvedarticle of manufacture, the pipe'thimble herein described and shown,comprising a collar, a shell or body, and an arm (one or more)projecting inwardly and downwardly within the shell or body toward thecollar, and having its lower edge free to engage the exterior of thepipe.

2. The pipe-thimble herein described and shown, comprising a collar, ashell or body, and arms formed integral with the shell or body,projecting inwardly and downwardly within the latter, and having theirlower edges arranged to bear or bite upon the pipe.

3. A pipe-thimble comprising a disk, a shell or body, and armsprojecting inwardly and downwardly within the shell, the said thimblebeing divided longitudinally, as and In Witness whereofI hereunto set myhand in for the purpose set forth. the presence of two witnesses.

4. In a thimble for pipes the divided e01- lar A, in combination withthe divided shell AMBROSE MATTHEWS 5 B, the portions of the shell beingadapted to VltLlLSSGSI interlock with each other, and provided with WM.E. LEWIS,

inwardly-projecting arms. ALVAN S. PRATT.

